Low sodium gravy

Pan gravy recipe

Serves 11 (1/4 cup each) · 5 minutes to prepare · 15 minutes to cook

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups unsalted chicken or turkey stock, homemade or store-bought
• Defatted pan juices from the turkey, up to 1/2 cup
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan (or the roasting pan set over two burners) over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 to 3 minutes until it smells toasty and turns light gold.
3. Slowly whisk in the stock and the defatted pan juices, scraping up the browned bits.
4. Add the thyme and pepper. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, whisking now and then, until it coats a spoon. Thin with a splash of stock if it gets too thick.
5. Taste. If it needs a lift, a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of the salt-free herb blend works in place of salt.

Make ahead

• You could make the gravy up to 3 days ahead with store-bought unsalted stock and 3 tablespoons olive oil, then whisk in the turkey's pan juices while reheating.
• Reheat gently, whisking in a little stock to loosen it.

This gravy and a classic gravy, 1/4 cup each

The classic is a turkey pan gravy from a major test kitchen, made with drippings and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

For comparison, the per-meal sodium limits the book works from are 500 milligrams for high blood pressure, 667 for kidney disease, 750 for heart disease and 767 on dialysis. Those limits are for the whole plate, not the gravy alone.

How much sodium is in gravy?

A classic turkey pan gravy from a major test kitchen has about 167 milligrams of sodium per 1/4 cup, and its recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt. This gravy has about 23 milligrams in the same 1/4 cup.

How do you make gravy without salt?

Start from unsalted stock and the turkey's own pan juices with the fat skimmed off, thicken it with flour cooked in olive oil, and season it with thyme and black pepper. A squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt-free herb blend at the end can take the place of salt.

Is unsalted broth low in potassium?

Not always. Some store-bought unsalted or salt-free broths get their flavor from potassium chloride, and the National Kidney Foundation lists salt-free broth among foods higher in potassium. The ingredient list shows whether potassium chloride is in it, and homemade stock from the turkey neck has none added.

Does gravy count as fluid on dialysis?

Yes. The National Kidney Foundation counts gravy as fluid, because it is liquid at room temperature. A 1/4 cup of gravy is 2 fluid ounces.

Sources